Improvement in lasting-knees



Patented May 28,1872.

' CHARLES HT H A'SKELL. V Last ing -Knees 1 7; v L x a k a I 1 m .w I

UNITED STATES CHARLES H. HASKELL, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LASTlNG-KNEES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,343, dated May 28, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, G. H. HASKELL, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and in the State of Mas sachusetts, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Lasting-Knees; and do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the upper side of my device; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the heel end of said device; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line a: a: of Fig. 1.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

My invention is an improvement upon a class of devices used for receiving and sustaining in position lasts while the shoe is being lasted and it consists, principally, in the construction and attachment of the jaws, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists further in the sliding rest for the support of the toe of the last, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. It consists,

' finally, in the inclined or wedge-shaped supporting-disk, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown and described.

In the annexed drawing, A and A represent two wooden blocks or jaws having the general form shown, which, at one end, are rigidly secured to or upon a third intermediate block, B, in such a manner as to' leave between said ends an open space having a width of about one and one-fourth inch. From the block B the jaws extend forward and inward so as to bring their opposite ends into contact, in which position they are secured by means of a strip of leather, 0, which extends horizontally across, with its ends suitably secured to or upon the ends of said jaws. From near their lower sides the inner faces of the jaws A slope upward and outward, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to cause them to conform substantially to the upper portion of the last when said last is reversed and placed with its toe portion over the block B. Resting upon the upper side and ends of j the jaws A, and over the block B is strip or block D, which conforms in general size and' shape, exteriorly and horizontally, to the line of said jaws, and has a width about equal to the widthof said block B, andis connected to or with said parts by means of two screws, d, which extend vertically downward from the lower side of said block and through suitable slotted plates E attached to or upon said jaws, with their heads cl contained within suitable recesses a formed beneath said plates. As the slots 6 within the plates E are parallel and in a line with the opening between the jaws it will be seen that within certain limits the block D may be moved toward or from the longitudinal center of said jaws. A pin, F, passing downward through the block D, with its lower end engaging with one of a series of openings formed within the upper end of the block B, secures the former in position when adjusted thereto.

As thus constructed, the inner faces and upper sides of the jaws, and the entire exterior of the toe-piece or block D are covered with leather, and said jaws secured to or upon a circular supporting-disk, G, which is in turn connected to or with a bench, H, by means of a pivotal bolt, I, when the device is ready for use, as follows:

The last is placed in position within and upon the jaws, with its sole upward and its heel against the end of the central opening opposite the toe-piece, after which said toepiece is adjusted inward until it bears firmly against the instep, when it is secured in place.

It will now be seen that each portion of the upper (now lower) side of the last receives a firm support, which, however, by reason of the elasticity of the leather 0, is sufficiently yielding to prevent injury to the most delicate shoeupper.

In order that a suitable inclination, may be given to the work to cause the lasting-tacks to point toward the center of the shoe and not interfere with the operation of the needle, a circular wooden disk, K, having a greater thickness at one side than at its other or opposite side, is placed between the supporting disk and bench in such a position as to cause the whole device to incline toward the workman, thus producing the result named.

The device thus presented is simple in construction, efficient in operation, and comparatively inexpensive, and furnishes .a means whereby the time and labor usually required in lasting shoes may be materially reduced.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new 1. The jaws A and A, constructed as shown, and rigidly connected together at one end, and attached at their opposite or heel-end by means of the leather strip 0, substantially as and for the purpose specified. 7

2. The toe-piece D, constructod as shown, and connected with and rendered adjustable upon the jaws A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The inclined or wedge-shaped disk K, when constructed as shown, and combined with the supporting-disk G and with the bench H, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of April, 1872.

CHARLES H. HASKELL. Witnesses:

S. R. ROGERS, R. G. S.- SHEL'roN. 

